The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has announced plans to withdraw the broadcasting licences of 42 television stations nationwide.

In a gazette notice dated September 12, CA Director General David Mugonyi stated that the revocations—carried out under the Kenya Information and Communications Act (Cap. 411)—will take effect within seven days.

Among the stations listed are Metropol TV, Mount Kenya TV, Kingdom Ambassadors TV, and Tourism and Wildlife TV (Safari Channel), among others.

Mugonyi clarified that once the licences are revoked, the affected broadcasters will be barred from operating, and any resources tied to the licences will revert to the authority.

“Notice is given pursuant to the provisions of the Kenya Information and Communications Act (Cap. 411) that the Communications Authority of Kenya shall revoke the postal licences of the following service providers within seven (7) days from the date of this Gazette Notice,” Mugonyi stated.

“Upon revocation of the licences, the licensees shall not be authorised to operate and provide the services as indicated in the table above.”

The authority reserves the right to shut down a TV station over regulatory breaches or violations of broadcasting standards.

Common grounds for such action include airing inappropriate content, failing to set up the required broadcasting infrastructure, or defaulting on licence fee payments.

These interventions aim to enforce compliance, uphold broadcasting standards, and ensure stations operate within the law.

Just three months ago, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) flagged 23 television stations—including well-known outlets like Kameme TV—for potential closure over betting advertisement violations.

BCLB Director Peter Mbugi, in a statement issued on May 5, revealed that the stations had continued running betting ads with payment prompts despite an earlier ban on such content.

“Following the Board’s recent press statement announcing a 30-day suspension of betting advertisements, it has come to our attention that several media outlets continue to run unauthorised betting promotions,” BCLB stated.

The BCLB called on the Communications Authority (CA) to swiftly crack down on the media outlets that failed to comply, in line with its mandate.

The board also emphasised that the violations involve displaying payment information on-screen and encouraging viewers to participate in promotions to win prizes — actions that violated the suspension rules.